An endless egg conveyor includes at least one endless element running around a set of rotational wheels rotating around respective rotational axes and a drive unit defining a conveying direction of the conveyor, said egg conveyor having an upper run and a lower run and head sections where the direction of movement of the endless element between the upper run and the lower run is reversed over one or more of said rotational wheels. The egg conveyor furthermore includes at least one lane of egg retaining pockets coupled to the endless element, said lane of retaining pockets in use moving in the conveying direction, each of said retaining pockets having a central axis and an upper receiving opening to receive an egg with a longitudinal axis of the egg generally aligned with said central axis of the pocket. The retaining pockets are each coupled to the endless element by a bearing structure allowing rotation of the retaining pocket around a rotational axis that extends parallel to the rotational axes of said rotational wheels, allowing the retaining pockets to remain in an upright position in every position in the lane.
In FIG. 4 of EP 0 560 458 A1 such an endless egg conveyor is shown which has a double endless chain at either lateral side. As mentioned in EP 0 560 458 A1, such a conveyor chain mechanism for accomplishing this is shown, for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,139. This known chain mechanism is a rather complex structure.
The present invention has for an object to provide an alternative conveyor of the type mentioned at the outset.